Good morning BoP,
I attended a poetry reading last night and did some thinking about how I was going to respond to you. You may be surprised at my answer and I'd enjoy hearing yours as well. Like you, I am comfortable with a world of balance. Please read this (and this goes double for my friend Slippy -g) as a description rather than an argument.
I'm from an Irish family and grew up on the east coast near New York. My family was largely uneducated but very hard working. I am the first woman in my famiy to graduate from college, which I did on full scholarship, as I did all of my graduate education.
I grew up in a place where it was still looked down upon to be Irish. The Kennedy family, despite the personal foibles of many of their members, was held up as an example of spirited energy focused upon dedication to public service. I think some of this mindset comes from a general Christian sense of responsibility toward community and charity.
I think the terms "liberal" and "conservative" may be somewhat muddied, and more confounding than we let on, as "liberals" can be "conservative" on some issues, and vice versa. In my mind, "liberal" is a fundamentally democratic (note small 'd') worldview, which is based on the view that all people have worth and potential and that the government has the right to ensure that its citizens are treated fairly, despite their color, IQ, nation of origin, etc.
EDIT: As I reread this, I realize I could have written so much more, and done it so much more articulately!. But it's morning and coffee awaits.....
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